On Friday, the Russian Football Union declared it had signed a contract with Leonid Slutsky

Leonid Slutsky (left)

MOSCOW, August 7. /TASS/. Russia’s newly-appointed chief coach of the national football team, Leonid Slutsky, believes that his new job in fact annuls his previous achievements.

On Friday, the Russian Football Union declared it had signed a contract with Slutsky till the end of the European 2016 Cup qualification cycle. Slutsky will hold two positions simultaneously - those of the chief coach of his club, CSKA, and of the national team.

"The decision to agree to do both jobs was not very hard to make," Slutsky said. "I would like to say great thanks to the people who invited me into the national team. Possibly that’s indirect recognition I managed to achieve something as a coach before. But I am perfectly aware that the national team in a sense annuls my previous achievements. At this highest level my performance will be scrutinized far more closely and deeply. I don’t feel scared at all. As before, the team has good chances to qualify for the 2016 European Cup finals. At this point only this period is on the agenda."

Slutsky said that forthcoming changes to the coaching staff will be minimal.

"Sergey Ovchinnikov, Paulino Granero and Sergey Semak are staying. Also, there will be another coach, entirely focused on the national squad. His name will be disclosed after the man signs his contract with the Russian Football Union," he said.